The Identification of Plasmodium vivax Infected Anopheles sinensis by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay, Republic of Korea, 1998

ABSTRACT To figure out how far spread the malaria parasite infected mosquitoes from Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). We investigated the sporozoite-infected mosquitoes in Chosan-ri and Hajiseok-ri of Paju-shi, Tonae-dong of Koyang-shi, Mudeung-ri of Yonchon-gun, Soyo-dong of Tongduchon-shi, and Tukjeong-ri of Yangju-gun, Kyonggi-do province in 1998. They were known as highly epidemic areas in the Republic of Korea. Anopheline mosquitoes were collected by human biting collection method from the 2nd week of June to the 5th week of August. A total of 3,256 anopheles mosquitoes were captured in these areas. A sandwich enzyme-linked immununosorbent assay (ELISA) for identifying Plasmodium vivax sporozoites in mosquitoes was used in this survey. Only one mosquito which was captured in Chosan-ri, on 2nd week of July showed positive reaction in this test. This mosquito was identified as Anopheles sinensis. This showed a 0.068% (1/1,465) positive rate in Chosan-ri on 2nd week of July. We could not detect positive mosquitoes the other areas. So we concluded the parasite infected mosquitoes may be highly limited near the DMZ.